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50 Years after the Green March: sahrawi Spokesperson Laments Lost Childhoods
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A half-century after the Green March,a pivotal event in the history of Western Sahara,a spokesperson for Más Madrid,born in the Tindouf refugee camps,is speaking out about the enduring consequences of displacement and a contested sovereignty. Today marks 50 years since approximately 350,000 Moroccans entered Western Sahara, then under Spanish control, an event remembered as the Black March by the Sahrawi people.
A Legacy of Displacement
Following Spain’s withdrawal from the territory, thousands of Sahrawis were displaced, remaining in refugee camps for decades. The situation continues to impact generations, as highlighted by the spokesperson, who was born in the Tindouf camps in 1994. “Any child born in a refugee camp is born older. We do not have the right to childhood and we do not know it,” they confessed, powerfully illustrating the psychological toll of prolonged displacement.
The displacement stemmed from the ensuing conflict between Morocco and the Polisario Front, a Sahrawi liberation movement, over control of Western Sahara after Spain’s departure in 1975. Morocco asserted its claim, leading to war and the establishment of refugee camps primarily in Tindouf, Algeria, to house Sahrawis fleeing the conflict. The war lasted untill a UN-brokered ceasefire in 1991.
The roots of the Conflict: A Historical Pact
The events of 50 years ago were not simply a spontaneous movement, but rather, according to the spokesperson, “a pact between Juan Carlos I with Hassan II of Morocco through the US.” this assertion suggests a complex geopolitical backdrop to the Green March, with international powers playing a role in shaping the fate of Western Sahara.The spokesperson further contends that Spain’s departure was not a simple relinquishing of control,but rather,”all the obstacle in these 50 years towards citizens of Sahrawi origin.”
the alleged pact involved Spain secretly agreeing to transfer administrative control of Western Sahara to Morocco,in exchange for Moroccan support for Spain’s entry into the European Economic Community. The United States, with strategic interests in the region, reportedly facilitated the agreement. This deal bypassed the Sahrawi people’s right to self-determination, as enshrined in international law.
Enduring Obstacles to Resolution
The ongoing displacement and the historical context surrounding the Green March underscore the challenges in finding a lasting resolution to the Western Sahara conflict. The situation remains a sensitive issue, with Morocco asserting sovereignty over the territory, while the Polisario Front, representing the Sahrawi people, seeks self-determination. The spokesperson’s personal story and historical analysis serve as a poignant reminder of the human cost of this protracted dispute.
Despite the 1991 ceasefire, a definitive political solution remains elusive. A UN-sponsored referendum on self-determination, originally planned for 1992, has been repeatedly delayed due to disagreements over voter eligibility.Morocco has proposed autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty, a proposal rejected by the Polisario Front, which insists on a vote allowing for full independence. The conflict remains largely frozen, with sporadic tensions
